4100France2.046.0Products.CMFCore.interfaces._content.IDynamicTypeAccessControl.interfaces.IPermissionMappingSupportProducts.Archetypes.interfaces.referenceable.IReferenceableeea.alchemy.interfaces.IAlchemyDiscoverableProducts.CMFCore.interfaces._content.IContentisheea.app.visualization.subtypes.interfaces.IPossibleVisualizationProducts.ATContentTypes.interfaces.file.IATFileeea.promotion.interfaces.IPromotableplone.app.blob.interfaces.IATBlobplone.portlets.interfaces.ILocalPortletAssignableOFS.interfaces.ICopySourceProducts.Archetypes.interfaces.metadata.IExtensibleMetadataplone.locking.interfaces.ITTWLockableeea.geotags.storage.interfaces.IGeoTaggablewebdav.EtagSupport.EtagBaseInterfaceProducts.Archetypes.interfaces.base.IBaseObjecteea.themecentre.interfaces.IThemeTaggableAcquisition.interfaces.IAcquirerProducts.LinguaPlone.interfaces.ITranslatableProducts.CMFCore.interfaces._content.ICatalogAwareeea.cache.subtypes.interfaces.ICacheAwareProducts.Archetypes.interfaces.base.IBaseContenteea.relations.content.interfaces.IBaseObjectarchetypes.schemaextender.interfaces.IExtensibleplone.app.imaging.interfaces.IBaseObjectwebdav.interfaces.IDAVResourceeea.pdf.subtypes.interfaces.IPDFAwareeea.versions.interfaces.IVersionEnhancedplone.uuid.interfaces.IUUIDAwareOFS.interfaces.IItemProducts.ATContentTypes.interfaces.file.IFileContentApp.interfaces.IUndoSupportplone.app.iterate.interfaces.IIterateAwareApp.interfaces.IPersistentExtraeea.workflow.interfaces.IHasMandatoryWorkflowFieldsAccessControl.interfaces.IRoleManagereea.epub.subtypes.interfaces.IEPUBAwarepersistent.interfaces.IPersistentwebdav.interfaces.IWriteLockeea.annotator.subtypes.interfaces.IAnnotatorAwareProducts.ATContentTypes.interfaces.interfaces.IATContentTypeProducts.CMFCore.interfaces._content.IOpaqueItemManagereea.progressbar.interfaces.IBaseObjectOFS.interfaces.ISimpleItemProducts.CMFDynamicViewFTI.interfaces.ISelectableBrowserDefaulteea.geotags.storage.interfaces.IGeoTaggedProducts.NavigationManager.sections.interfaces.INavigationSectionPositionableProducts.CMFCore.interfaces._content.IWorkflowAwareOFS.interfaces.IPropertyManagerplone.app.blob.interfaces.IATBlobFileOFS.interfaces.ITraversableAccessControl.interfaces.IOwnedapplication/pdflaursmahFrance 2012 bathing water report2013-05-16T12:55:00ZKSMVGW2IDRfrance-2012france-2012 France 2012 bathing water report Bathing water results 2012 – France
1. Reporting and assessment
In 2012 the French authorities reported under Directive 2006/7/EC provisions a list of their bathing
waters, start and end of bathing season for each bathing water, short term pollution events, events
impacting bathing water quality and measured values of concentrations of two microbiological
parameters — intestinal enterococci and Escherichia coli (also known as E. coli). This report gives a
general overview of bathing water quality in France for the 2012 bathing season. France has reported
under the Directive 2006/7/EC since 2010.
The Annex IV of the new Directive requires a sample to be taken shortly before the start of the bathing
season. Sampling dates are to be distributed throughout the bathing season, with the interval between
sampling dates never exceeding one month. Taking into account one pre-season sample, no fewer than
four samples are to be taken and analysed per bathing season. Three samples need be taken and
analysed per bathing season in the case of a bathing water that either has a bathing season not
exceeding eight weeks or is situated in a region subject to special geographical constraints. The result of
such monitoring is used to build up the sets of bathing water quality data. Before the necessary data set
for assessment of bathing water quality under the Directive 2006/7/EC is compiled (data for four
consecutive years) the rules for transition period assessment are applied. This means that the
classification of bathing waters is defined on the basis of concentrations of intestinal enterococci and
Escherichia coli that are reported under the Directive 2006/7/EC in 2012.
Bathing water quality in 2012 season in France is assessed under the transition period rules, where the
new Directive monitoring frequency requirements should be fulfilled. One pre-season sample should be
available and the interval between sampling dates in 2012 should never exceed 35 days, provided that
the next sampling is done according to the monitoring calendar.
The limit values for the classification are taken from the Directive 76/160/EEC. For the conversion of
reported parameters under the Directive 2006/7/EC, Article 13.3 of the Directive 2006/7/EC foresees
that the parameter Escherichia coli, reported under the Directive 2006/7/EC, is assumed to be
equivalent to the parameter faecal coliforms of the Directive 76/160/EEC. The parameter intestinal
enterococci reported under the Directive 2006/7/EC is assumed to be equivalent to the parameter faecal
streptococci.
The results are classified in the following categories:
 Class CI: Compliant with the mandatory value of the Directive 76/160/EEC for Escherichia coli and
not compliant with the guide values of the Directive 76/160/EEC for Escherichia coli or intestinal
enterococci;
 Class CG: Compliant with the mandatory value of the Directive 76/160/EEC for Escherichia coli and
the more stringent guide values for the Escherichia coli and intestinal enterococci;
 Class NC: Not compliant with the mandatory value of the Directive 76/160/EEC for Escherichia coli;
 Class B: Banned or closed;
 Class NF: Insufficiently sampled;
 Class NS: Not sampled.
2. Length of bathing season and number of bathing waters
The bathing season started between 17 May and 1 July 2012 and ended between 31 August and 30
September 2012 for coastal bathing waters. Inland bathing waters opened between 21 April and 1
August 2012 and closed between 27 July and 14 October 2012. Bathing waters in overseas territories of
France were opened the whole year.
1
A total of 3 322 bathing waters were reported in France during the 2012 bathing season, of which 2 034
were coastal (2 001) or transitional bathing waters (33) and 1 288 were inland bathing waters (460 on
rivers; 828 on lakes). One coastal and 14 inland bathing waters were reported as de-listed (permanently
closed) compared to the previous year. Nine coastal and 15 inland bathing waters were added to the list.
With 3 322 reported bathing waters France accounts for about 15.9 % of the reported bathing waters of
the European Union.
3. Bathing water quality
1
The results of the bathing water quality in France for the period 1991-2012 are presented in Figure 1 .
The previous reports are available on the European Commission’s bathing water quality website
(http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/water-bathing/index_en.html) and the European Environment
Agency’s bathing water website (http://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/water/status-and-monitoring/state-ofbathing-water
Figure 1: Results of bathing water quality in France from 1991 to 2012.
1




The graphs show, for coastal and inland bathing waters separately:
The percentage of bathing waters that comply with the guide values (class CG, blue line);
The percentage of bathing waters that comply with the mandatory values (class CI, green line);
The percentage of bathing waters that do not comply with the mandatory values (class NC, red line);
The percentage of bathing waters that are banned or closed (class B, violet line).
2
Note: Data until 2008 are available in the previous reports at http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/water-bathing/index_en.html.
Table 1 shows the same information in absolute numbers and in percentages separately for inland and
coastal and all bathing waters from 2008 on. The numbers and percentages of insufficiently sampled or
not sampled bathing waters are also presented. A map given in Appendix 1 shows the location and
quality of the bathing waters.
Coastal bathing waters
In France, 87.1 % of the coastal bathing waters met the mandatory water quality in 2012. This is an
increase of 1.4 % compared to the previous year. The rate of compliance with the guide values
increased from 65.1 % in 2011 to 66.3 % in 2012. A total of 40 bathing waters (2.0 %) were noncompliant with the mandatory value for Escherichia coli compared to 44 in 2011, which is a decrease of
0.2 %.One bathing water was classified as closed during the 2012 bathing season compared to none in
2011.
Inland bathing waters
87.1 % of the inland bathing waters met the mandatory water quality in 2012. This is a decrease of 5.7
% compared to the previous year. The rate of compliance with the guide values decreased from 54.1 %
to 49.0 %. A total of 34 bathing waters (2.6 %) were non-compliant with the mandatory value for
Escherichia coli compared to 23 in 2011, which is an increase of 0.8 %. Six bathing waters (0.5 %) were
classified as closed during the 2012 bathing season compared to 11 (0.8 %) in 2011.
3
Table 1: Results of bathing water quality in France from 2008 to 2012
FR
Total number
of bathing
waters
Compliance with Compliance with Not compliant
guide and
mandatory value
mandatory
values*
Banned/closed
Insufficiently
sampled or not
sampled
number %
number %
number %
number %
number %
Coastal 2008
bathing
waters 2009
1968
1387
70.5
1913
97.2
53
2.7
0
0.0
2
0.1
2005
1513
75.5
1932
96.4
61
3.0
0
0.0
12
0.6
2010
2012
1377
68.4
1799
89.4
8
0.4
0
0.0
205
10.2
2011
2029
1321
65.1
1738
85.7
44
2.2
0
0.0
247
12.2
2012
2034
1348
66.3
1772
87.1
40
2.0
1
0.0
221
10.9
2008
1344
609
45.3
1278
95.1
65
4.8
0
0.0
1
0.1
2009
1343
688
51.2
1271
94.6
68
5.1
0
0.0
4
0.3
2010
1314
627
47.7
1257
95.7
13
1.0
0
0.0
44
3.3
2011
1304
705
54.1
1210
92.8
23
1.8
11
0.8
60
4.6
2012
1288
631
49.0
1122
87.1
34
2.6
6
0.5
126
9.8
2008
3312
1996
60.3
3191
96.3
118
3.6
0
0.0
3
0.1
2009
3348
2201
65.7
3203
95.7
129
3.9
0
0.0
16
0.5
2010
3326
2004
60.3
3056
91.9
21
0.6
0
0.0
249
7.5
2011
3333
2026
60.8
2948
88.4
67
2.0
11
0.3
307
9.2
2012
3322
1979
59.6
2894
87.1
74
2.2
7
0.2
347
10.4
Inland
bathing
waters
All
bathing
waters
*Bathing waters which were compliant with the guide values were also compliant with the mandatory values for five parameters
under the Directive 76/160/EEC or the mandatory value for Escherichia coli.
4. Important information as provided by the French authorities
There was no additional information provided by the authorities for 2012.
4
5. General information on bathing water quality in Europe in 2012
Out of more than 22 000 bathing areas monitored throughout Europe in 2012, around two thirds were in
coastal waters and the rest were in rivers and lakes. In the 2012 bathing season, the monitoring of
bathing sites has been adjusted to the provisions in the EU's new bathing water directive (Directive
2006/7/EC). The sampling of water quality in most of the bathing water sites meets the frequency
standards (this involves a pre-season sample of the water quality, followed up by monthly samples
thereafter). As regards assessment, the provisions in the new bathing water directive have been applied
in 19 European countries (Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland,
Germany, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Spain,
Sweden). This involved taking data from four years of monitoring to make the 2012 assessment. For the
remaining ten countries, the 2012 assessment has been carried out under a set of transitional rules that
do not yet meet all the requirements of the new directive using the results from the 2012 monitoring.
In 2012, the quality of 94 % of all bathing waters met at least the minimum 'mandatory' level
(corresponding to a rating of sufficient quality under the new directive). Bathing water quality improved at
1.8 % of sites in 2012 compared with 2011, and at 2.5 % of sites compared with 2010. There has also
been a marked decline compared with 2011 in the number of bathing waters that were closed or that
prohibited bathing.
In 2012, 95.3 % of coastal bathing waters in the EU-27 achieved the minimum quality standards
requested by the EU directives — an increase of 2.0 % compared with 2011. The share of coastal
bathing waters with excellent quality (or complying with the guide values) in 2012 reached 81.2 % (an
increase of 0.9 % from 2011).
The percentage of inland bathing waters with excellent quality is 72 % in 2012, a 1.6 % increase from
2011. In 2012, 91 % of inland bathing waters in the European Union had good or sufficient quality. This
is a 1.0 % point increase from 2011. Only 2.3 % of inland bathing waters in the EU did not satisfy the
minimum quality level. This is 0.1 % decrease from the previous year, continuing the slow but steady
reduction in the percentage of poor quality bathing waters.
The "European bathing water quality in 2012" report presents the results and trends in bathing water
quality in 2012 in Europe (http://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/water/status-and-monitoring/state-ofbathing-water). More information on bathing water quality as prepared for all reporting countries can be
found on the European Environment Agency's bathing water website. The reports for the 2012 season
have been produced by TC Vode, European Topic Center ICM Waters partner with support of the
Institute for Water of the Republic of Slovenia (IWRS). Countries have collaborated in the assessment of
bathing water quality and supplied additional information when needed.
6. Interactive information on bathing water quality in Europe
The bathing water section of the Water Information System for Europe (WISE), which is accessible at
the EEA bathing water website (http://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/water/status-and-monitoring/state-ofbathing-water), allows users to view the bathing water quality at more than 22 000 coastal beaches and
inland sites across Europe. Users can check bathing water quality on an interactive map, download data
for a selected country or region, and make comparisons with previous years.
The Eye on Earth — Water Watch application (http://eyeonearth.org/map/WaterWatch/) allows users to
zoom in on a section of coast, riverbank or lake, both in street map or, where available, bird's eye
viewing formats.
The data on bathing water quality in 2012 and previous years can also be viewed in WISE bathing water
data viewer, an application prepared by TC Vode (http://bwd.eea.europa.eu/).
In order to make information to the public more effective, all EU countries have national or local web
portals with detailed information for each bathing water site. Websites generally include a map search
function and public access to the monitoring results both in real time and for previous seasons. Citizens
now have access to more bathing water information than ever, giving them the tools to become more
actively involved in protecting the environment and helping to improve Europe's bathing areas.
5
Appendix 1
6
waterFalse2013-05-21T07:37:20Z2013-05-16T12:55:00Z